Obama Administration To Sue Arizona Over Immigration Law

Republicans condemn White House move to reassert its authority on immigration policy

Part of a large steel fence separating Mexico and Arizona. The state is the biggest entry point into the US for illegal immigrants. Photograph: Larry W. Smith/EPA

The Obama administration has moved to reassert its authority on immigration policy by suing Arizona state over its draconian plans to curb illegal immigration.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Phoenix, argues that Arizona’s law requiring state and local police to question anyone they reasonably suspect of being an illegal immigrant undermines the federal government’s authority.

“In our constitutional system, the federal government has pre-eminent authority to regulate immigration matters,” the lawsuit says. “This authority derives from the United States constitution and numerous acts of Congress. The nation’s immigration laws reflect a careful and considered balance of national law enforcement, foreign relations, and humanitarian interests.”

The government is seeking an injunction to delay the 29 July implementation of the law until the case is resolved. It ultimately wants the law declared invalid. Mexico as well as several civil liberties groups have opposed the Arizona measure, and several other legal challenges are pending in federal court in the state.

Republicans condemned the lawsuit, saying the law had not yet entered into force so the challenge was premature. They also argued that the Arizona law was justified as the federal government had failed to deal with the issue.

“The Obama administration has not done everything it can do to protect the people of Arizona from the violence and crime illegal immigration brings to our state,” the two Republican senators from Arizona, John McCain and Jon Kyl, said in a statement.

Arizona passed the law after years of frustration over problems associated with illegal immigration, including drug trafficking and kidnappings. The state is the biggest entry point into the US for illegal immigrants, and is home to an estimated 460,000 of them.

The White House fears that the Arizona law could lead to a patchwork of different laws passed by various states and local authorities. Last week, Fremont, a small town in Nebraska, voted to in effect banish all illegal immigrants.

Clearly, illegals are simply undocumented voting democrats to Obama. . Whatever it takes, we need to block Obamas’ game. Its just like a Muslim became president here.

He won’t do the job hoping to vote suck the hispanic folk, and the results of his failure look like a nuclear explosion. We should bus all these illegals to DC for him to enjoy. He would act if it affected him!

Anyway any democrat up for re election needs to just go home as he will be soundly defeated. Pandering to the illegal vote is the why. Don’t you guys want to stay in power? Cross the floor or go home! This guy has spent more than every president together.

Like the way the oil leak was handled. How many calls did he get in order to act? 50 days before Hayseed scumwad was called. And Altzheimer hayward makes the human race look bad… He sold half his stock in British Petroleum as it all went down. He wants his life back. Just like he pushed the button he killed all those little worthless people on the rig by avoiding any safety expense.
His type is why we sought independence in 76.